Nationalist Group Calls for Hindus to Arm Themselves Against Christians

GAUHATI, India, March 2 (AP) - A right-wing group has urged Hindus in India's remote northeastern states to form ``armed resistance groups'' to thwart alleged attempts by Christian missionaries and Pakistani intelligence operatives to destabilize the region.

The Viswa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu Council, said Thursday that an influx of Bangladeshi migrants and threats from Christian missionaries have led to panic among Hindus.

``The Hindus need to arm themselves in self-defense against the evil designs of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency and the Church,'' Ashok Singhal, VHPs international working president, told journalists in Silchar, a town 340 kilometers (210 miles) south of Assam State's principal city of Gauhati.

The VHP leader said intimidation by ISI agents and persecution by missionaries in the largely Christian northeastern states have forced some 1.57 million Hindus to leave the region.

``The entire demographic structure of the northeastern states has undergone a change with the influx of migrants from Bangladesh,'' Singhal added.

He accused both the church and the ISI of aiding a secessionist movement in the region.

More than 30 percent of the total 32 million population in the seven northeastern Indian states are Christians.

``India's northeastern region may turn into another Kashmir or Chechnya if harsh action against the militant-church nexus is not taken immediately,'' Singhal said.

Church leaders have persistently denied the church's involvement with militant groups in the region.

George Plathottam, a church spokesman, dismissed Singhal's charges a ``wild and baseless.''

``Singhal is trying to whip up peoples emotions on the eve of state elections in Assam. Singhal is contradicting himself. If he is so worried over insurgency in northeast India, why is he encouraging militancy by asking Hindus to arm themselves?''